Best Auto Backup Methods

[GreatestOne]

Hey guys, sorry if this is in the wrong section but it seemed better here than "General Software."

I got a client a new Win 8, and didnt wanna use the old Acronis 2010 on it, which has been working fine for me and tons of my clients all over for the last 7+ years. I was looking into using 2014 or even 2013 but they both have gotten some rotten reviews all over.

So short of a RAID setup, what r u guys using? is Windows Backup and Restore just like these imagine solutions or does it just save folders and files only? I need something that will backup daily/weekly the whole HD image so its totally hands off.

I dont mind if its free or not, but if these paid softwares are crappy, then I rather go with free.

 

[elferchu55]

Hello! You could use GoodSync, I use it on my backup data server, it's very easy to use, you can choose the folders to backup, type of backup or synchronization (very useful when you add or delete apps, pics or videos).

 

[Ruffy]

At home I use Macrium reflect for full images, but I never redeploy them anymore.

I use MDT to deploy a custom wim now. I boot to a thumbdrive or PXE Boot (My Pxe server is a linux box)

Before a deployment I update my drivers in the MDT Workbench. MDT also has updated windows updates. (wsusoffline is great for this)

In the end I get a 10 minute deployment over my network. A machine with fresh drivers, no old fluff. Userstate migration copies my user profile to my share and saves my settings.

I do make a macrium image before I reimage(Just in case) and if I ever need anything I can mount that image and pull data off of it. But I've only had to do that once. Since my OS Drive is on an SSD and kept fairly light (All large apps are installed to seperate drive) The backup portion takes like 20 minutes.

 

[GreatestOne]

Hello! You could use GoodSync, I use it on my backup data server, it's very easy to use, you can choose the folders to backup, type of backup or synchronization (very useful when you add or delete apps, pics or videos).

At home I use Macrium reflect for full images, but I never redeploy them anymore.

I use MDT to deploy a custom wim now. I boot to a thumbdrive or PXE Boot (My Pxe server is a linux box)

Before a deployment I update my drivers in the MDT Workbench. MDT also has updated windows updates. (wsusoffline is great for this)

In the end I get a 10 minute deployment over my network. A machine with fresh drivers, no old fluff. Userstate migration copies my user profile to my share and saves my settings.

I do make a macrium image before I reimage(Just in case) and if I ever need anything I can mount that image and pull data off of it. But I've only had to do that once. Since my OS Drive is on an SSD and kept fairly light (All large apps are installed to seperate drive) The backup portion takes like 20 minutes.

Thanks guys....

The GoodSync seems to only do folder/file backups, no whole disk imaging foe a complete 1-step system recovery like Acronis, am I wrong?

The MDT seems a bit involved and I feel like I would have to hold the clients hand step by step and if anything happens in the future... or am I over-complicating it? The commands I read seems to be more linux or server related than Win 8 related. And I need to implement an "idiot-proof" software ASAP and I really have limited time to learn anything like MDT, or so I think....

Is Windows backup/recovery not an imaging option? I read a site where it seemed to state it is.

Or else I may just get Acronis 2014, I mean, it cant be that bad just for imaging........ I hope.

It seems you can create an auto-backup using Win 8 built in software by using the command in POwerShell as admin:

SCHTASKS /Create /SC DAILY /TN DailyFullBackup /RL HIGHEST /ST 14:06 /TR “wbAdmin Start Backup -backupTarget:F: -include:C: -allCritical -quiet”

Is this not good?

 

[socold]

aomei backupper? what about it?